Embracing the Eternal Teachings and Wisdom of Baba Nanak Dev Ji

Dear Beloved Ones,

On the auspicious birthday of the great saint Baba Nanak Dev Ji¹, I extend my heartfelt blessings to all the devotees.

He is the saint of saints, the guru of gurus, who has conveyed the beneficial path to us in simple language by gathering the essence of the four Vedas, eighteen Puranas², six Shastras, twenty-seven Smritis, and scriptures, along with the power of self-devotion. This body is made of the five elements, as Baba writes:

Panch tav se tan rachyo, Jotan chatur sujaan.
Taahi te upajyo Nanaka, Liyo taahi tain maan.
From the five elements, the body was formed, With intelligent consciousness.
From this, Nanak emerged, And took pride in it.
Guru Granth Sahib

Every human who comes to this world is destined to die. When Ram did not remain, Krishna did not remain, Narasimha did not remain, Vamana Bhagwan did not remain, and no saint remained, how can anyone else stay?

It is certain; the body must be abandoned. We are born and we die, but saints do not die. Death is for those who are engrossed in worldly deeds. Birth and death only happen physically to humans, but not to saints among them. They merely change their physical bodies. Lord Krishna told Arjuna:

Vaasansi jeernaani yathaa vihaaya
Navaani grihnaati naro’aparaani
Tathaa shareeraani vihaaya jeernaa-
Nyanyaati samyaati navaani dehee
Just as a person discards old clothes
And wears new ones
Similarly, giving up worn-out bodies
The embodied soul enters into new bodies
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 22)

Just as a person changes clothes, the soul changes bodies like changing clothes. Blessed is the birth of those who perform auspicious deeds, as we are celebrating today. We are celebrating Guru Parva. The sound of the divine and the guru’s name is resonating everywhere, there are communal kitchens (langars) everywhere, and festivals and worship are being organized. Therefore, living a life like these people is considered blessed. Everyone is born, I am born, and you all are born, but our birth is just limited to eating, drinking, and dying. Our life is meaningless; we are dead even while living because:

Ek bhakt Bhagwan jinh praani ke naanhin man
Jaise sookar swan Nanak maanhoon taahi tan
A person who has no devotion to God in his mind
Nanak considers that body like a pig or a dog
Guru Nanak

Baba proclaims that our life is like that of pigs and dogs because we are living just to eat, drink, accumulate, and gather wealth. Beyond that, we are not progressing. So, what is the point of our life? We are merely adding to the burden on Earth. True living is that of the saints whose birth we are celebrating today because they renounced worldly pleasures, family happiness, the joy of children, and the comfort of the guru’s mother to preach from house to house, place to place, and town to town for our benefit. They even went to Muslim countries to propagate religion. When they were not satisfied with their efforts, they composed a great, unprecedented scripture. This scripture contains the essence of the four Vedas, six Shastras, eighteen Puranas, twenty-seven Smritis, and the teachings of 36 saints. When one river meets another, it is called a confluence; when three rivers meet, it is called ‘Triveni.’ But this is far more than a confluence or Triveni; it contains the essence of all scriptures. It includes verses in Sanskrit, Punjabi, the language of Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthani. If researched carefully, we will see that it incorporates every language. It also includes words from Urdu and Persian. Now consider how great this scripture is. I am not boasting. Baba also wrote similarly:

Bahu saasram bahu smrti pekse sarva taholi
In many scriptures and memories, everything is found

We have read, become scholars, and obtained degrees, but we only gained bookish knowledge. With book knowledge, we cannot benefit you. Even if we have books in our pockets, how can we help you with them? The diamonds and pearls we have gathered from books are of no use to you. Baba was not satisfied with this situation. He worried about how to benefit the whole world. Otherwise, he belonged to a wealthy family with abundance. Imagine having golden bowls, plates, and pitchers; were they poor? Today, even though we become rich, we do not find gold utensils but iron ones. Steel is also iron. They had golden vessels studded with diamonds and pearls, as evidence suggests. So, they were wealthy at home too. Their economic condition was strong. A Patwari of that time was more important than today’s I.A.S. (Indian Administrative Service). They were born in a Patwari’s house.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji wrote a special word – ‘Dhandhola.’ ‘Dhandholna’ means to examine each and every item. For example, “I searched the house thoroughly but did not find the item.” Dhandholna means to search every tiny spot. They examined each letter. Therefore, it is rightly said:

Poojas naahin Hari Hare
Nanak naam amol
Without worshipping Hari (God)
Nanak says, the Name (of God) is priceless
Guru Nanak

Baba declares that I have seen only one in all of them. That supreme being is the one, the Omkar, the uncreated, the timeless person. Whoever did not remember that supreme being lost their life. They lost the game of life. Therefore, read the four Vedas, the eighteen Puranas, and all twenty-seven Smritis. After reading, search within. But, my dear ones, how can you search without reading? Even if we take birth four times, we cannot complete it. See how kind that great saint was to us. In one word, he wrote the essence of his life. In one word, he wrote the essence of the four Vedas, eighteen Puranas, six Shastras, and twenty-seven Smritis. Living is for such saints. Such saints are never subject to death. Only ordinary humans face death. These saints remain ever-living and can take any form they wish. They are not bound by liberation and can come to the mortal world whenever they want.

Saints are not bound. They can come to the material world whenever they want and return to the divine realm whenever they wish. This is in their hands. So, such saints do not die. They are present everywhere in a physical form. Such saints are found giving blessings and always showing mercy. I am not exaggerating. I am sharing my life’s experience. One is to speak after reading scriptures; I am sharing my life’s experience. I lived in Defence Colony, performed Yagnas, and still do. I just came after performing a Yagna. I am very fond of Yagnas. There is evidence of 72 Yagnas on the banks of the Ganges by Guru Amar Das. These are the hobbies of saints. Through Yagnas, the Ganges, they gather purity and distribute it to society.

When I lived in Defence Colony, Baba appeared in physical form during a Yagna and asked one question: “What have I done to harm you?” I replied, “I don’t know who you are.” He said, “I am known as Nanak Dev.” I said, “I cannot believe my eyes. I need proof that you are indeed Nanak Dev.” This happened around 1973-1974, not today. I then said, “I need proof.” He said, “Alright, you will get proof.” He asked, “How long until the Yagna is completed?” I replied, “Two minutes.” After two minutes, the final offering was made. After the final offering, he asked, “Do you need proof?” I said, “Yes, I need proof.” He pointed to a large hidden photo wrapped in papers placed before the Yagna. We said, “What is it?” Baba said, “I don’t know; you can open it and see.” When we opened it, we saw the same image we used to see from 1968 to 1973 at the Sis Ganj Gurdwara. Now, I don’t know what has happened or what destruction has taken place that the photo has been removed. After that, this body never went there. The photo was in a large golden frame. Until 1974, the photo remained there. When the saints were removed, our minds were disturbed. We saw the same image in a large golden frame. I saw it and bowed down and vowed that day that from now on, I will study, research, and follow Guru Granth Sahib. Merely studying won’t help. They said, “After reading, search thoroughly.” Now, what do we have to do with searching? We will see it once and brought Guru Granth Sahib home that very day.

My point is, dear ones, that such saints do not go anywhere. They are present in photos, in meditation, everywhere. They can be seen everywhere, provided our emotions are pure – true devotion brings blessings. Their birth is meaningful, and they alone can transform our world. They can change our Rajasic and Tamasic intellect. They can flow the Ganges of righteousness, and rivers of virtue because word knowledge is like the holy Ganges water, the purifying water. This is the nectar that makes one immortal. They say to drink nectar. I believe drinking nectar means following the orders given in Guru Granth Sahib and living accordingly, which is the greatest Ganges bath because it leads to Satsang. Nowhere in the world is there a greater Ganges bath than Satsang. After bathing in the Ganges, the body gets dirty again, but after Satsang, the soul does not get dirty here or there. It cannot even see Yama –

Yam kankad nede na aavai
Jab sassa Hari gun gaavaji
The messengers of death do not come near
When one sings the praises of Hari (God)

Yama has no power, and Yama’s servants have no strength to come near you. But they won’t come close only when the person recites the name of Hari. This is Baba’s command. I won’t speak much more in the Satsang today, but I offer heartfelt congratulations to that great saint and wish that such saints always bless us and continue to come to improve us. You are all reformed. I am talking about myself. I am praying to Baba for myself to keep reforming souls like me because we have ‘ego,’ and ‘ego’ is the root cause of sin.

I was just listening to a cassette and felt great joy while sitting in the car. In the cassette, it was mentioned that Baba had gone to the house of God. He went to Baghdad. There were many Maulvis there. They thought that Baba had come, and he would take many disciples and devotees from here. So, as you know, they sent a bowl of milk with a jasmine flower in it, indicating that they had nothing to gather here. Baba said, “Your milk is yours; I have come like a jasmine flower. I have come to give fragrance to your milk.” At that time, the Maulvis invited Baba for a meal, saying, “Will you have food, prasad, or langar with us?” Baba replied, “Yes! We do not reject the saint’s words; we will surely partake.” The Maulvis asked, “What are your preferences for food? We will prepare accordingly.” Baba replied, “Prepare food as per your wish, but make sure to include one thing – poverty.” The Maulvis said, “We have never heard of this. Is it a vegetable or a sweet?” Baba replied, “You tell me. You ask everything from the path of devotion, ask about it.” The Maulvis, “I have never asked for anything till now; I have come to give.” The Maulvis said, “I don’t want anything, just tell me what poverty is and where to find it.” Baba replied, “Only Nanak can ask for it. Is Nanak Dev in your house?” The Maulvis replied, “Yes, he is here; I am asking for him.” Baba replied, “In the divine realm, 75% of the wealth was taken by Baba Nanak. Now, 25% remains hidden. I will search and send it.” The Maulvis fell at his feet. When 75% of the divine realm’s wealth is hidden, how can we bring it? That is God. If there is no money, that is not poverty. Poverty is knowing how to bow, having humility and depth in the heart –

Simita simita jal bharihim talava
Jimi sadguna sajjana pahim aava
Slowly, slowly the pond fills with water
Similarly, good qualities accumulate in a virtuous person

Being virtuous is the saint’s poverty. Today, we need to be so dear and close to Baba Nanak Dev that he appears to us morning, noon, evening, and twenty-four hours a day. But we have our pride and ego. What to do about it? We fight over small things, and knives are drawn. So, the gift they have given us, I am asking for that gift from them on their birthday today.

Those who are perfect in speech, body, and controlling the senses, if Guru Maharaj is pleased with us today, we would ask for wealth immediately. I would surely ask for it, but see the example of humility when Baba’s Guru was pleased. Guru asked Nanak Dev, “What do you want?” Baba replied, “Nothing.” Guru asked, “What will you give?” Baba replied, “I will give everything.” See Baba Nanak’s prayer –

Kaam krodh aham lobh moh binas jai ahmev
Nanak Prabhu sarnagat kar prasad Gurudev
Lust, anger, ego, greed, and attachment are destroyed,
O Nanak, take refuge in the Lord and receive the grace of the Guru
Guru Nanak

O Guru Dev, if you wish to bestow grace upon us, please remove lust, anger, pride, greed, and attachment from me. This is the grace I seek. They gave us such a great gift. If we do not bow down to it, it is our mistake. I offer them millions of congratulations for their life, penance, name, and fame, and on this occasion, I ask the saints to give me some of that poverty they have, even 5% or 10%, which is enough for me.

Dear ones, my point is that on Baba’s birthday, we must accept his teachings. From the entire Guru Granth Sahib, we should take at least one page, if not a page, then one verse, if not a verse, then half a verse, and if not even half, then a part of it, into our lives. Merely reading will not yield results, and Baba will not be pleased. If we tell Baba that serving is a duty, it will not suffice. Nothing will happen from that. We must serve and remember; only then will we cross the ocean of existence. Baba says, “I am with them twenty-four hours, I am always merciful to those who follow my words.” They have said it in very touching words:

Sant ka marg, dharm ki poudhi
The path of the saint is the ladder to righteousness

What are the steps of righteousness? It is the path shown by the saints. If we do not climb those steps, how will we reach our destination? Counting the steps won’t take us there. This is only obtained by the fortunate ones –

Sant ka marg dharam ki poudhi
Koi bade bhaagi paave
The path of the saint is the ladder to righteousness
Only a very fortunate person attains it

Are we not fortunate? Oh, we are all gathered on Baba’s festival; what greater fortune can there be? The greatness of saints, their service, their birthday, the explanation of their words, and the praise of their virtues have brought us together. Who could be luckier than us? It is clear that we are fortunate, but we are using the philosopher’s stone to grind chutney because we ask for worldly pleasures from Baba. This chutney can be ground on any ordinary grindstone. My dear ones! This is worth considering that a person does not remain poor after obtaining the philosopher’s stone. It is our fault that we are not using it correctly. Duryodhana insulted Lord Krishna with words like Gopa and cowherd and called him a libertine in the assembly. For him, Lord Krishna was not God, but Kripacharya, Dronacharya, and others accepted him as God. Similarly, our faith, belief, and reverence are very important, and that is why we asked Baba for poverty. Without poverty, these things cannot last. Poverty means faith, trust, and depth. In that depth, everything comes without being called.

To receive Baba’s blessings, and to keep him happy, we will succeed only if we start following his words from today. I am not saying to follow everything written in Guru Granth Sahib. Whatever words you like, understand their meaning and follow them, and Baba’s grace will be immediately received. Babas do not delay. Babaji says –

Kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab
Pal mein pralaya hoegi, bahuri karega kab
What you plan to do tomorrow, do today; what you plan to do today, do now
In a moment, the end could come; when will you do it then?
Kabir

There is no delay with saints. God may delay, but the saint does not. The saint has a special glory. Even the Vedas do not know the glory of the saint. The four Vedas have described and worshipped God, but even they could not understand the saint. They stand with folded hands before the saint and say, ‘We cannot describe your glory.’ Why? Because the saint completes the unfinished work of God. Would God build Gurudwaras? Would God come and build the Golden Temple of Amritsar? Everything is made by the grace of saints. God left it unfinished, and saints are completing it. The Vedas cannot describe the glory of the saint. Because the saints come to complete the unfinished work of God. What will the Vedas say about them? They cannot say anything, they remain silent. God says, ‘I am your servant, O devotee! You are my master.’ I am your servant. As you say, ‘Do this and that,’ I say, ‘Yes sir, I will do it.’ I cannot refuse you. God works justly. If you commit a sin, you will go to hell. If you do bad deeds, you will be punished. God works like this. But look at the saint; no matter how sinful or criminal a person is, they say, ‘Very well, you have come sincerely; then embrace me.’ They do not look at the sin. They even fight with God, saying, ‘God, even if he came at the last moment, he has recognized your house.’ Therefore, they argue, favoring even sinners and making them virtuous. The Vedas cannot describe the glory of such religiously partial saints. That is why Babaji made pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, revived dead bodies, gave eyes to the blind, and gave children to the childless. He grew crops where there were only volcanic mountains, ensured rain where there was none. This is what he did in his lifetime. So, how can we say that such saints are gone? Their blessings and words are still coming true today.

We consider Baba Nanak as present. He is present everywhere in some form, giving us blessings and protecting us. Today, on this great festival, I repeatedly salute and congratulate these saints. I congratulate them joyfully and pray to that supreme Brahman, that supreme being called Omkar, addressed as Adi Guru, described as Nirbhau (fearless), Niryauni (without origin), and Akal Purush (timeless person). I pray that he keeps sending such saints to our society so that we are reformed.

Why don’t such saints come these days? The answer is clear: they do not come because of our conditions. They know that people will do as they please, so they don’t come. I will pray to Baba, saying, ‘Baba, please come again and again, in every street, every neighborhood, and teach us. The age of materialism has come. The situation is such that a person cannot even sleep peacefully at night, let alone during the day. Some cannot sleep due to excess wealth, fearing raids. Some have accumulated so much gold and diamonds that they fear raids. Some cannot sleep due to worries about the next day’s livelihood. Some cannot sleep due to declining business. There is no object called happiness. Baba had already said:

Nanak dukhiya sab sansar
So sukhiya jis naam adhar
Nanak says, the whole world is in distress
Happy is the one who takes support of the Name (of God)

But we do not rely on the Name; we only extend our feet and stay. Relying on the Name means deciding to do it. It makes humans happy. ‘Panchante sw paapakarmabhih’ – we are suffering from the penance of our own sins. So why trouble Baba? But if Baba wishes, he can come everywhere and purify us sinners. It is not a new thing for him. When atheism had spread everywhere, he stopped it and established righteousness. Guru Nanak Dev Ji did not start a new religion. This is the Acharya religion. Acharya religion means Sri Vaishnavism. The Guru’s command is supreme. Our pride is that God will do nothing to us, and Yama will do nothing to us. With this belief, he composed the Granth and used the word ‘Waheguru.’ If the Guru is capable, then let God be displeased; the Guru will pacify him. Suppose we create a riot in our neighborhood. If our parents are strong, they will protect us from beatings. Similarly, Guru Granth Sahib repeatedly says, ‘O mind! Follow the Guru’s command. The Guru is not pleased with wealth or flattery but is most pleased when one follows his orders and gives everything he has. The Guru’s message is to let me meditate and take all the wealth; like Baba gave to Bhai Lahanaji, making him Angad Dev. He said, ‘This wealth, this cottage, and the name, which is my greatest wealth, I am giving to you; collect it, and the world will worship you. The world will remember you. They understood the importance of the Name and rejoiced. Amardas Ji was given by Angad Dev Ji.

Dear ones, my point is that the saints should be kind to us and give us good wisdom. They have always done this, so we are not asking for anything new.

Praising a supreme saint is like showing a lamp to the sun. He is the sun. He has spread the light of knowledge everywhere. But Baba is pleased with our lamp. We are repeatedly praying to that supreme ruler, that true king, to distribute his wealth everywhere. These days, he seems a bit upset and is not distributing wealth. He should grant us his wealth and give everyone the gift of his Name. Create happiness, peace, and prosperity in every home. We have a habit of asking Babas. We ask householders, kings, rich people, and poor people. When two Babas meet, they also ask each other. When there is a Satsang, it is a kind of asking. Today, I have asked Baba to spread happiness and peace in every house in our family, proving the essence of –

Parijat Hari ko naau
Kamdhenu Hari gun gau
The Name of Hari (God) is the divine Parijat tree
Singing the praises of Hari is like the wish-fulfilling cow, Kamdhenu

If this happens, we will plant Parijata trees in every house, keep Kamadhenu cows, and stand before you saying, ‘Baba! Give us whatever we ask for.’ Today, give us some Prasad. Baba says, ‘Take it.’ The householder asks for wealth. We Babas will say, ‘Give us bread, Prasad; what else will we ask for?’ But householders will ask for wealth and prosperity. Baba! Your 20 rupees FD is feeding millions of people. Some are printing and eating Guru Granth Sahib, some are selling it, some are singing it in Ragas, and some are eating it in its name. Your 20 rupees FD is still serving us. I would say that it is not a big deal for you. Make another FD of 2000 rupees so that we live happily because today’s era is an age of debt. So, I always ask Baba to forget the times when 2 maunds of wheat came for one rupee. Now, a maund costs hundreds. I ask Baba to increase wealth. O Baba! Increase wealth in every house of my dear ones. It is not a big deal for you because you have a direct connection with the great government. Our line sometimes gets cut. And when the line is cut, we sit quietly for days. Their connection is direct because they have such a phone that they can talk directly. Our line sometimes connects, sometimes not. Sometimes we hear that the line is busy, and we have to wait. I will repeatedly ask and pray to them that our every work be religious, every living being has an increase in wealth, and happiness in their homes. If wealth is given and happiness is not, what is the use of that wealth? There should be happiness, peace, wealth, and continuous growth in it.

Finally, on Baba’s auspicious birthday, my best blessings to all the dear ones.

Summary

The discourse delivered on the auspicious occasion of Baba Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday emphasizes the unparalleled significance of Guru Nanak’s teachings and his divine legacy. The speaker reflects on the profound impact of Guru Nanak’s teachings, which encapsulate the essence of the four Vedas, eighteen Puranas, six Shastras, and twenty-seven Smritis, all simplified for the benefit of humanity. The discourse highlights the eternal nature of saints, who, unlike ordinary humans, transcend death and continue to guide and bless their followers. Guru Nanak’s humility, devotion, and the ability to extract and convey profound spiritual truths in simple language are praised as exemplary for all.

The speaker also shares personal experiences of Baba Nanak’s divine presence, emphasizing the importance of living by the teachings of such saints. The discourse urges devotees to internalize the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib and to lead lives marked by humility, service, and devotion to the Supreme Being. The speaker prays for Baba Nanak’s continued blessings on all, asking for peace, prosperity, and spiritual growth in every household. The discourse concludes with a call to honor Baba Nanak’s legacy by adopting his teachings and living a life of righteousness and devotion.

Important Points

Guru Nanak Dev Ji encapsulated the essence of all major scriptures in his teachings.
Saints, unlike ordinary humans, transcend death and continue to guide their followers.
Guru Nanak’s teachings emphasize humility, devotion, and service to the Supreme Being.
The speaker shares personal experiences of Baba Nanak’s divine presence, highlighting the importance of faith.
Devotees are urged to internalize the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib in their daily lives.
Living a life of service and humility is essential for spiritual progress.
The discourse emphasizes the eternal relevance of saints’ teachings and their ability to bless and guide even after physical death.
The importance of following the path shown by saints for true spiritual fulfillment is highlighted.
The speaker prays for Baba Nanak’s blessings on all, seeking peace, prosperity, and spiritual growth.
The teachings of saints like Guru Nanak are seen as a guiding light for navigating the challenges of material life.
The discourse reflects on the greatness of Guru Nanak’s contributions to spiritual knowledge and human welfare.
Devotees are encouraged to use their lives for more than just material accumulation, focusing instead on spiritual growth.
The significance of the Guru’s grace in achieving liberation and overcoming life’s challenges is emphasized.
The speaker calls for a deeper connection with the divine through the teachings of saints.
The discourse concludes with blessings and well-wishes for all devotees on the occasion of Baba Nanak’s birthday.